News

News by State

Kansas preparedness group trains at CDP

The South Central Kansas Regional Hospital Preparedness Group recently attended disaster training at the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Center for Domestic Preparedness, according to the CDP.

The Kansas healthcare professionals trained at the CDP's Noble Training Facility, which serves as the only hospital in the U.S. solely dedicated to preparing the public health, healthcare and environmental health communities to respond to natural or man-made mass casualty events.

"Disasters are never planned," Diana Lippoldt, the director of nursing for trauma, critical care and emergency preparedness at the Wichita, Kan.-based Wesley Medical Center, said. "This training places us in an environment we can very well expect in a disaster. (I think) the training helps us minimize chaos and deal with the emergency. It teaches us to communicate and manage an event."

The students trained during the four-day course to provide a realistic medical response in an actual treatment facility. Melissa Shaw, the emergency preparedness and training exercise coordinator from the El Dorado, Kan.-based Butler County Health Department, said the training was complete and extensive, providing hospital staff with a better picture of the roles others play in a disaster.

"I would encourage regions and hospitals to bring a (cohort) here," Lippoldt said. "It's hard to free up for training, but the large groups that train together build relationships and networks. I think it is awesome to come up to Anniston and I appreciate FEMA for making these courses available."

FEMA's CDP, based in Anniston, Ala., is a facility used to train medical and health education in disasters, including terrorism and natural disasters.